Latest Area News Headlines

WORTHINGTON — The 2014-2015 Worthington High School exchange student to Crailsheim, Germany was announced Sunday during the Worthington-Crailsheim International Banquet. Jessica Velasquez-Herrera, a WHS sophomore, will leave for Worthington’s Sister City in July with current Crailsheim exchange student Lars Opaczek, where she will study for one year.

Velasquez-Herreras will join a long list of Worthington High School alumni to participate in the Worthington-Crailsheim Exchange Program. The exchange began in 1947, and is believed to be the oldest sister city relationship still in...

WORTHINGTON - This year, the Southwest Crisis Center celebrates its 30th year of helping victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. To acknowledge those who have contributed to the mission of the Southwest Crisis Center over the past year, recipients of the annual Faces of Hope award will be honored during a special event April 5th at BenLee’s Café in Worthington.

A social hour will begin at 5 p.m., with dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the presentation and a dance. Tickets for the event are $35 per person, and there will be a 50/50 raffle and a cash bar. All money raised will help...

SLAYTON - Alyssa Boynton, a seventh grade student at Murray County Central, will represent MCC at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington DC in May. Alyssa, daughter of Lisa and Jason Boynton of Slayton, emerged as champion Tuesday during the Multi-Region Spelling Bee in Fergus Falls.

She spelled her heart out for 20 challenging rounds, narrowly beating a representative from Crookston High School. Spelling Bee Coordinator Mark Schleisman said Alyssa worked hard to earn the chance to represent MCC, and will handle the competition with poise and integrity. Last year, he said,...

SIBLEY, Iowa — A one-vehicle rollover early Tuesday morning in Osceola County led to a fatality, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities responded to the accident at 6:54 a.m. Tuesday on Nettle Avenue, about 2 miles west of Sibley. The report states Dennis Anthony Croatt, 61, of Granville, was southbound on Nettle Avenue when he lost control of his 1995 Ford pickup truck. The truck entered the west ditch and came to rest on its top.

Croatt was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident is still under investigation.

SLAYTON – They may have recently spent millions of dollars expanding and renovating, but the Murray County Medical Center seems to be in jeopardy of running out of employees if the current trend continues. Within the last month, two EMTs, an LPN and a certified nursing practitioner have left the hospital.

During a MCMC Board meeting Tuesday, a crowd of residents filled the room, looking for answers the board refuses to give. At issue are several points of contention, including a recent contract extension of CEO Mel Snow, an ongoing federal lawsuit with physicians assistant Dan...

ADRIAN – A Fairmont couple received non-life threatening injuries Wednesday when their Honda CR-V went off the road near Adrian. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, 84-year-old Omar Behrends was westbound on I-90 around 9:03 a.m. when he lost control, went off the road to the right and hit a guard rail. The vehicle went back across the road and struck a second guardrail on the opposite side of the road. He and Janet Behrends, age 78, were taken to Sanford Worthington Medical Center.

LAKE BENTON - Due to extreme frost depth, many water lines have been freezing. In order to keep...

WORTHINGTON - The Worthington City Council on Monday approved the sale of eight lots in the Bioscience Industrial Park to Prairie Holdings Group, which plans to construct a new 21,000 square foot office complex, along with more than 12,000 square feet of industrial/distribution space.

The council approved the sale of more than 13 acres, of land, structured as a 20-year land forgiveness loan agreement. PHG must produce 18 jobs in the next two years, with those jobs having a minimum wage of $10 per hour inclusive of benefits.

WORTHINGTON - Grassroots Community Theatre and the Worthington Elks Club will present “Flanagan’s Wake” this weekend, beginning with dinner at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Elks Lodge, 1105 Second Ave. The interactive comedy is under the direction of Mary Jane Mardesen. The cast members interact freely with the audience, taking cues from the spectators. The meal will be chicken cordon bleu on Friday and prime rib on Saturday. Tickets are available at the Elks Club, Ax Photo, Hy-Vee and The Stag.

WORTHINGTON - First State Bank Southwest president Greg Raymo is the bank’s newest...

WORTHINGTON - The Radio Works Farm & Home Show kicks off today and will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Worthington Event Center, 1477 Prairie Drive. The event is three days long, with hours on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Admission to the show is free. More than 20 businesses will have booths covering everything from farm supplies to home health care. The US95 Highway Patrol Morning Show with Chad Cummings and Matt Widboom will broadcast live from the event center, as will KWOA’s “This Day in History.” Barry Roberts will broadcast live for...

MANKATO -The Minnesota Department of Transportation advises no travel in south central Minnesota after 6 p.m. tonight due to heavy snowfall, high winds and dark creating hazardous conditions.

Snowplows are currently out making passes, but the heavy snowfall is keeping the highways slushy and slippery. Winds are expected to increase making visibility a serious problem for motorists. As conditions continue to deteriorate, snowplows may be pulled off the roads until conditions allow for their safe return.

MnDOT snow plow operators are doing their part to make highways safe....